Rick Santorum Says Families With Undocumented Immigrants Should Be Broken Up

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, speaking at a campaign stop in Spencer, Iowa Wednesday, said families with undocumented immigrants should be broken up when the law is broken.

"You can't be here for 20 years and commit only one illegal act ... because everything you're doing while you're here is against the law," he said, according to the Spencer Daily Reporter. "I understand Congressman Gingrich saying, 'Well, you know, people have been here and they've been good citizens and paying taxes.' Yeah, under somebody else's Social Security number because you stole it."

He went on to say that families should be broken up when the law is broken, including illegal immigration, according to the Reporter. While crossing the border unauthorized is a criminal violation, living in the U.S. without documents is a civil violation.

In a Nov. 22 debate, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich said families with undocumented immigrants should not be broken up. "I do not believe that the people of the United States are going to take people who have been here a quarter century, who have children and grandchildren, who are members of the community, who may have done something 25 years ago, separate them from their families, and expel them," said the former House speaker. "I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter century."

He suggested other "Republican leaders" were surrendering on social issues Friday in a fundraising e-mail sent to supporters. "Because a number of Republican leaders have suggested that the best way to win back the White House is to call a truce on talking about social issues. Issues like abortion, marriage, school prayer, and immigration. In my book that's not a truce ... it's a surrender!"